Save Me
by BreathingDelena
Summary: Started out as a one-shot, now it's a multi chapter story starting from Smells Like Teen Spirit-my version. Very DELENA, but involves other characters too. Involves struggles, complications, etc.
1. Save Me, Like You Always Do

NOTE: This is my first fanfic! I have no idea if I'm any good, but since I want to be a writer, and I'm obsessed with The Vampire Diaries, I decided to do a Delena story for my first one! I hope you enjoy :) This is what I want to happen in 3x06 Smells Like Teen Spirit. Basically Delena, some Stefan, but like I said, DELENA!

Elena was trapped in a burning car. She was wrong about Stefan. No where inside of him was the man she remembered. _Damn Klaus for this! _She thought angrily. _This is his fault! _She kicked at the window, desperate to escape. Suddenly, something burned her arm.  
>Elena screamed.<p>

"Do you know where Elena is?" Damon asked Caroline frantically.  
>"No idea."<br>"Thanks," he hissed. "That helps a lot." Damon's eyes widened as he heard a scream. _Elena._  
>He blurred away, not caring who saw him, or what that would cost him. "Elena!" he shouted when he saw the burning car. He grabbed the handle of the door, cursing as it burnt his skin. He pulled the door off and saw Elena. She was unconscious. He grabbed her from under her arms and dragged her away from the fire. They both fell to the ground, her in his arms, as he whispered her name over and over.<br>Damon carefully pushed some of the hair that was in her mouth behind her ear. "Elena?" he whispered again. Her eyes fluttered and relief washed through Damon. She coughed and looked into his eyes.  
>"Damon. What-what's." She stopped in her tracks. Damon's face crumpled in pain.<br>"It's okay. We're going to get you home." She shook her head, and Damon picked her up like he had so many times before, and carried her away from the burning car.  
>Elena rested her head on his shoulder so that his neck was shielding her face.<br>_My little brother deserves to die,_ Damon thought to himself. _I don't care what that ass did to him, how dare he go near her. _  
>Damon held Elena tighter as these thoughts crossed his mind.<p>

Once again, Damon had saved her. And she was grateful. He had taken her back to her house, just in case Stefan decided to show up at the Boarding House again. "Thank you, Damon. For saving me," Elena whispered when he put her down. Her clothes were ripped and burned, and she had burns all over her body. Damon dropped his head.  
>"You're welcome."<br>"I'm going to have a shower. You can stay here." Damon looked into her eyes and she smiled. He nodded shakily.

_She had thanked me. She thanked me for saving her. What if I hadn't? She'd be dead. _Damon shuddered at the idea. _I want to rip Stefan's head off. I swear-_  
>His thoughts were interrupted by Elena appearing in the doorway of the bathroom. She was in her PJ's, and her hair was wet. She appeared to be in pain. Each of the burns on her arms looked like it was on fire again. "Are you okay?" Damon whispered. She bit her lip, tears pooling in the bottom of her eyes.<br>"No. I'm not."  
>"Do you want some blood? It would heal the wounds." Elena nodded and went and perched on her bed. Damon sat beside her. But Damon knew it wouldn't heal the emotional wounds. He bit into his wrist and offered it to her. She took it in her hands delicately, as if it would break if she wasn't careful, and she started sucking. To Damon, it felt like she was kissing his wrist. Damon pulled away when she had had enough.<br>"I don't know why I tried to help him," she whispered, looking into his eyes. "He's gone. I thought I could save him. That maybe if he remembered how it used to be, that-" she broke off in tears.  
>"Hey, hey," he whispered, pulling her into his arms. He was careful not to touch any of her burns. She cried into Damon's shoulder.<br>"You know," she whispered into his neck when her crying settled down a bit. "I don't deserve you." Damon laughed.  
>"I was thinking the same thing about <em>you<em>."  
>"Damon," she whispered. "I, I should tell you something." She pulled away so she could look him in the eye. Damon prayed-something he doesn't normally do, but this was Elena-that she wouldn't send him away. That she wouldn't say, "I need a normal life, and you're not normal." He prepared himself for the worst.<br>"I have no idea when it happened, but, I think I'm," she hesitated and laughed. Damon was very tense. "I think I'm in love with you."

Elena could see Damon was shocked. "What?" he whispered.  
>"Damon, I love you." He turned to unresponsive ice. Finally, when the silence was too long, she pressed her lips to his cheek. Damon shivered and Elena pulled away.<br>"I love you, too," he whispered. Elena smiled and pressed her lips to his, something Damon never expected to feel again was Elena's lips. He got himself into a more comfortable position so he could get as close as possible to her without hurting her. Elena wrapped her arms around his neck and glued his face to hers. Without noticing, Damon kicked a book off the bed, which made a huge BANG.  
>Both of them froze. "Elena?" Alaric called.<br>Elena winced. The door swung open. "Oh," Alaric sighed. "I didn't know you were home." Elena nodded. He glanced at Damon who was sitting on the edge of the bed, pinching his bottom lip.  
>"Okay then. Goodnight."<br>"Night, Ric." He closed the door behind him. When Elena spun around, Damon was gazing at her.  
>"Is it okay if I stay here tonight?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows.<br>"Of course." Elena got comfortable in Damon's arms and in a matter of minutes was fast asleep.

When Elena woke up, Damon was gone, but in his place was a small piece of paper.  
><em>Drama. Call me when you wake up. I love you-D.<em>

And for the first time, Elena smiled hugely, pulling the note to her chest, and jumped out of the bed.

**Kay so, I KNOW Elena is NOT going to admit her love that easily-or maybe she will, haha-but like I said, HOW I LIKE IT! Anyways, I had a lot of fun with this, and I think it turned out. . .good, so please, review! :3**


	2. Needed Him, Always Would

_**HELLO EVERYBODY! So, I got positive reviews on the first chapter of this fan fic, so I thought I'd continue it. I'm going to warn you, this is going to veer off from what's happening in the show, so very unlikely story-line. But I don't care. I will wait seven seasons for Delena to be endgame. As long as it happens. . .;) ENJOY!  
><strong>_

"Bonnie, what's going on?" Damon hissed into his phone. "If this was so urgent I had to leave the house, then you better tell me. _Now_."  
>"I-I'm not sure. It's just something with Jeremy. He seems distant, I mean other than the fact he's still seeing Anna. I thought you could talk to him, he'd probably open up to you before he did to me. . .or Elena."<br>"Well you could've told me that before I left Elena by herself without any explanation."  
>"Wait, you were with Elena?"<br>"Where are you?" Damon asked, quickly changing the subject.  
>"The Grill. Oh, Elena's here." If Damon's heart was beating, it would've stopped right then and there. <em>Don't turn into a desperate teenage girl<em>, Damon thought to himself. _We wouldn't want that._  
>"I'll be there in ten."<p>

Elena sat down with Bonnie. "What's going on?" Elena asked urgently as Bonnie was putting down her things. She cocked her head, staring at her.  
>"Why would you think something was going on?"<br>"Because Damon left me a note this morning saying that there was drama. Knowing Damon he minimizes whatever is going on to nothing, thinking it won't make me worry!"  
>"Hello," a familiar voice said. Elena and Bonnie both looked, shocked, to the aisle next to the booth. Elena smiled at Damon and looked down to her hands, blushing.<br>"Hey," they both whisper, both looking in different directions. Damon slid into the booth next to Elena. She sucked in a quick breath when his hand settled in her own. She stared at him until he returned her gaze, smiling lovingly. Elena wanted to get closer to him, envelope herself in _Damon_. But she couldn't. Not with so many eyes on them. Not with so many other things wrong in her life. Still she couldn't help but wish.  
>"Do what's the dilemma, witchy? Just relationship problems?" Elena rolled her eyes. Damon sure hadn't changed. Not that she wanted him to.<br>"I told you Damon. Nothing is going on!" Bonnie eyed Elena, sadness and hurt in her eyes. Elena had millions of questions, but Damon suddenly squeezed her hand, distracting her. She noticed he was leaning closer to her. She stared at him, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. He just stared straight ahead.  
>"Please. Tell me. I know both of you know something. What is it?" Bonnie and Damon exchanged glances. Bonnie explained to Elena what she did to Damon, leaving Elena with a blank expression. "So he's basically back to what he was before. . .you compelled him?" she asked, looking at Damon, her voice a small whisper. Bonnie nodded. "Oh, God," she breathed. Everyone at the table was silent for a few immeasurable minutes. "I-I better go. Sorry Bonnie," Elena mumbled, looking up to tell Damon with her eyes it was time to go.<br>Damon released Elena's hand, and slid out of the booth, seeing the pain hidden in her deep brown eyes. Elena rushed out of the Grill, and Damon rushed after her, nodding his head to Bonnie and disappearing behind the door. "Elena, hey Elena!" he shouted, grabbing her arm. She spun back to him, their chests tightly pressed together. Tears were streaming down her face. Pain flashed across Damon's face, but he quickly concealed it. "What's wrong?" he murmured, his warm breath blowing across her face.  
>"Everything. Everything's wrong, Damon. And the worst part? It's all because of me." Damon wanted to yell and scream and tell her to never say anything like that again. But she was too fragile for him to break her right now.<br>_And too right, _Damon added mentally. But Damon didn't know she was worse than broken. There may be no saving her. The damsel in distress was unable to be saved. "Let's get you home," he whispered. Elena just nodded, too hurt to form much more of a response. He took her hand, and led him to his car.

"Elena?" Damon murmured as they pulled up to the Gilbert house. "You're home." Elena was motionless. How could she have been so happy and carefree just this morning and now be in so many pieces? She had tried so hard to keep herself together, to keep it together long enough to get Stefan back, to get things back to normal. But when had anything been normal? Nothing would ever be normal when she was in love with two vampires, her friends were vampires, witches, and hybrids, and her brother was seeing ghosts.  
>What was the point? Then she looked over to inspect Damon. He was the point. Stefan was the point. Elena tried to put somewhat of a sincere smile on her face, but it was too pained to fool Damon. "Are you going to be okay?" Elena just shook her head.<br>"Is anybody really 'okay' anymore?" she mumbled, never looking away from Damon's eyes. Damon laughed a short, cold, hard laugh.  
>"Let's get you inside." Elena opened her door, and Damon blurred around the car to pick her up in his arms and carry her inside. Elena allowed this, resting her head on his shoulder as he carried her inside. He carried her up to her room, setting her down on her feet next to her bed. "Do you need anything?" Damon asked. Elena gazed into his eyes. Suddenly, she found herself in his arms, her lips on his.<br>"Yes," she murmured against his soft lips. They separated from the kiss, and held each other. Elena _needed_ this. She needed _him_. She had _always_ needed him. She _would _always need him. _Needed him, always would._ Damon cradled her weak body as it shook with sobs. He carried her over to the small bed and sat down. She reminded him of a small child, so dependent on him.  
>Damon would be comfortable holding Elena like this forever, in his arms, shielding her from the cruel outside world. Damon would never hurt her, not after he saw what happened with Stefan. He couldn't be the one inflicting that kind of pain on Elena. Not <em>her<em>. She meant too much to him-she meant everything to him. She was his best friend, his first friend in over one hundred years, the woman he loved, the sun in his otherwise cloudy sky. Despite the situation-an upset Elena, which left Damon upset too-Damon smiled at that. The fact that he may never be separated from his sun.  
>Without Elena, Damon had been miserable in his life as a vampire. Trying to get through every day in his pathetic life, searching for lost vampire love, Katherine, who turned out didn't love him at all, wishing he didn't hate his brother, wishing he hadn't taken the vampire's blood that turned him into what he was. . .<br>But Elena, she pushed the clouds away with her smile, her love, her whole essence and soul. He couldn't stand to lose her, not now; he'd never be able to survive. As she took another deep breath, her sobs calming, he relished in the moment, squeezing her tighter. The sun snuck through the windows, threatening to brighten the entire room. "Elena?" Damon murmured. She met his eyes, hers red rimmed and covered in run mascara. "You're a mess," he noted. "You even got it on my shirt. Great." He tried to lighten the mood. It worked. Elena laughed slightly, wiping her eyes on the shirt.  
>"Sorry, you're just going to have to wash it," she chuckled, but added in a whisper, "I'm sorry for putting you through that. I shouldn't have let you stayed."<br>"It's okay. I wanted to be here," he assured her, kissing her temple. She sighed, sitting up on his lap. "You look exhausted."  
>"I am," she groaned into Damon's shoulder. "Actually, I think I'm going to sleep." Damon nodded.<br>"Well, in that case, I'll be here when you wake up." Elena paused as she was getting under the covers.  
>"You're staying?" she whispered, shocked.<br>"If that's okay. . ."  
>"No, it's fine." She smiled and patted the space next to her where Damon had slept last night. Damon got comfortable next to her, and she snuggled into his side, closing her eyes and sighing. Damon leaned down and kissed her cheek, whispering a quick, "I love you," in her ear. She shivered in delight and repeated the words, sighing again. "Don't have any nightmares, please." Elena just nodded. "I'll be here when you wake up." Elena shifted so she could look him in the eyes.<br>"Promise?"  
>"I promise you." Elena smiled at kissed him, lightly, but passionately. When she pulled away, she collapsed onto the mattress, and Damon wound an arm around her waist.<p>

Neither of them really slept. Just laid in silence, in each other's embraces. It was exactly what both of them needed. . .and wanted.

AND THERE IT IS! Chapter 2! I don't know why it took me so long to post this guys, I'm sorry. I just had a lot on my-you know what? You don't want an explanation! So I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review! See you. . .Chapter 3!


	3. Mikeal's in Town

**Well here we are, chapter three! Let me just say, I'm disappointed by the lack of D/E scenes this season. I mean, I wasn't thinking they were going to jump in bed the first week Stefan disappeared, but you think after 3 months, Elena would do something. . .Realize something. . .But no. . .Too bad.**

Elena woke with a start. "Damon?" she whispered instantly. How had she fallen asleep? She was trying so hard to stay awake, to relish in the moments that only came around once in a while. But how had she failed? She had been wide awake. . .  
>She was surprised to find the bed empty. <em>No, no, no, no! Where is he? <em>she wondered to herself. "Damon?" she called a little louder. Elena slowly got out of her bed, trying to be silent. She rounded the corner and was relieved when she heard his voice coming from the kitchen.  
>"If this Mikeal guy is such a big deal, why don't we kill him?"<br>"You really think I haven't thought of that?" Alaric spat. "If he's strong enough to kill Klaus, we have to assume he can kill you in less than a second."  
>"What if he just has a weapon to kill Klaus? He might not be all muscles."<br>"Mikeal's here?" Elena whispered. Damon's cocky expression dissolved as his eyes met hers.  
>"No," Damon said immediately, but was interrupted by Alaric sighing, "Yeah." Damon glared at him.<br>"Well no, as in, we have nothing to worry about. We have it all under control."  
>"Actually, the yeah was as in, yeah we should be worried, and we <em>need<em> to get it under control. Soon."

Alaric left to find Bonnie, see what she thought about it. Damon and Elena were left at the house. "So this Mikeal is a vampire hunter?" Elena asked, sitting on the couch.  
>"Yeah, apparently."<br>"And he knows how to kill Klaus?"  
>Damon nodded.<br>"Won't he go after you and Caroline, though?"  
>"Maybe not, since we're protection to you, we could keep Klaus away from you. So he can't take your blood to create his little army, and I'm guessing, after he creates his army, he'll be undefeatable," Damon murmured, plopping down beside her on the couch. Elena just nodded, too lost in thought to do much else.<br>"I hope so."  
>"Listen to me, Elena. Nothing is going to happen to you. I promise you. I'll keep you save." She met his eyes, hers concerned.<br>"Damon, it's not me. It's you," she whispered. Elena thought better than to tell him it was only him. So she added, "It's Caroline, and Tyler, and Jeremy, and Bonnie, and everybody else that I'm hurting! All of them could die because of _me_." Damon's face crumpled in pain.  
>"Of course you'd be worrying about other people, Elena," he chuckled.<br>"How can I not?" she asked, her face too pained for Damon to handle. "Everyone I love, everyone I care about, they all could die just like that, and it's because of me. How would you feel if Stefan, and I, and everyone else you care about even the slightest bit died because of something your ancestors caused?" Her voice was broken, her eyes, losing the depth they normally held. "I can't let them get hurt."  
>"I understand, Elena. You don't even know how much I understand," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him. "But," he whispered in her ear. "I love you more than anyone, or anything in this world, and I would sacrifice every person on this planet before letting you die." Elena pulled back to look into his beautiful eyes.<br>"I-I love you," she murmured.  
>"I love you, Elena."<br>Someone coughed behind the two of them. Jeremy was smiling sideways. "So do I get to tell Stefan about this?" Elena dropped her head.  
>"How about you say nothing, and we call it even?" Damon asked sarcastically.<br>"How about you not kiss my sister who has a boyfriend, who actually happens to be your brother Damon."  
>"Jeremy, stop it!" Elena hissed, stepping in front of Damon, whose face was curled up in anger.<br>"You know it, Elena."  
>"Know what?"<br>"That what you're doing is wrong."  
>"Jeremy, just go, okay?" Jeremy rolled his eyes and disappeared upstairs. Elena sighed.<br>"I better go-help Ric. I'll be back later," Damon murmured. Elena whirled around her hands grasping for him but only holding air.  
>"Humph."<p>

Damon didn't come back, and Elena started to worry. _Damon, come on! Please, I'm worried,_ she texted him. Another one read: _Please Damon, if this is about what Jeremy said, don't worry about that! Please just let me know you're okay!  
><em>But Damon didn't respond, and it made Elena worry that much more. Finally, giving up hope on calling and texting, she drove over to the boarding house, praying that she would only find a damaged Damon who could easily be fixed.  
>But nothing in Mystic Falls was ever that simple.<br>Elena opened the stiff door to the boarding house, calling out Damon's name into what appeared to be empty room. "Damon?" she called again. No response. As Elena turned into the living room which seemed empty and pulled out her phone, she heard an agonized groan.  
>"Elena?"<br>"Damon!" He was laying on the ground next to the couch, a stake stabbed in his chest. . . right next to where his heart was. "Damon! Hey, hey, look at me!" she plead as his eyes seemed to slip close. "Damon who did this?"  
>"Elena, you need to get out of here! Please, he'll kill you."<br>"I'm not going anywhere without you," she whispered, getting a firm grip on the piece of wood. She yanked as hard as she could and it came out of his chest. He groaned and held his stomach.  
>"Mikeal is here! He wants you dead. He needs you dead. Without you, Klaus can't make hybrids."<br>"If I'm dead then he'll have more time to kill Klaus," she finished. Damon just nodded. "I'm not leaving without you, Damon! Here, take my blood." Damon didn't hesitate. He bit into her wrist and took as little blood as needed.  
>"Ric, he killed Ric," Damon mumbled as Elena pulled him from the floor. Elena ran to the limp body and tried to lift him. She let out a frustrated groan, and Damon came to help her-still incredibly weak himself. Damon pulled him onto his back.<br>"Are you sure you can-"  
>"Let's just go, Elena."<p>

Since Jenna died, Elena signed the deed at the Gilbert house. No uninvited guests could enter, so that was the safest place for the three of them to stay. Ric came to a few hours later, and Damon explained everything to him, while Elena just sat with a blank expression. It was if she couldn't take anymore. Like she had fallen to million's of pieces, and for once, she couldn't put herself back together.  
>As everyone in the Gilbert house fell silent, Elena found her and Damon were the only ones awake. He was staring at her, as if he was trying to decipher a difficult math problem. "Damon, do you think, if I had never met Stefan and you, none of this would have happened?"<br>"I don't know." She bit her lip, trying to hold back tears that hadn't surfaced. Elena pulled herself away from where she was sitting and collapsed in Damon's arms. Tears came flowing from her eyes, and her face pressed into his shoulder. Damon comforted her-kissing her cheek, her temple, whispering soothing things in her ear. And when her sobs calmed and eventually turned silent, Elena pulled away to look into Damon's eyes.  
>"I really love you, Damon."<br>"And I really love you, Elena." She nodded as if she needed to hear the words to verify that was the truth.  
>"Let's get you to bed," he murmured in her ear.<br>"Yeah, bed."

Damon set Elena down on her small bed, not bothering waiting for permission to curl up next to her. He gazed at her as she drifted to sleep in his arms. When finally, he thought she was asleep and would be for awhile, he closed his eyes, only to be woken to his name being called moments later. "Elena?" he whispered. She was staring at him, tears in her eyes again. "What's wrong?" Elena didn't answer him. She just curled up next to him and pressed her lips against his. Once, twice, three times. Damon held her tighter against his body, smelling her intoxicating smell, and tasting her on his lips.  
>Elena shivered with delight and finally pulled away from the addictive way her and Damon kissed. Her brown eyes shut like curtains and Damon sighed, stroking some hair from her face. "Goodnight, Elena." She was already unconsciousness.<br>**  
>So at the ending, I was getting tired, and I was too lazy to put a cliff hanger, so you'll just have to be satisfied with this chapter until I post the next one because, well, there's nothing else really to be satisfied with. Kay, I'm pretty sure that was a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, but I'm too incoherent to really remember what the last word I typed was so, most of this story was probably mumbo-jumbo. Come to think of it, I may not even upload this tonight. . . Goodnight ya'll. Wow. I just said ya'll. Is it normal for the screen to spinning in circles? Night!<strong>


	4. Just a Taste

_**Hey everyone! First off, I'd like to thank everyone who has been wanting to read a next chapter of this story-so THANK YOU! Obviously, if I didn't get all those awesome reviews and responses, I wouldn't be typing this right now! So I really hope you enjoy this chapter-it has more. . .kissing, and stuff than the other chapters ;) Enjoy!**_

Elena's eyes felt like they were glued shut. Memories tumbled back into her brain.

Mikeal was back.  
>He was after her.<br>He could kill Klaus.  
>Damon's lips. . . Guilt rushed over Elena as soon as those words entered her brain. Stefan was the one she was supposed to love-the only one! But she did love Damon, she had admitted that much to herself. . .and him. Elena really couldn't compare the two. Sure they were brothers, and sure, she did love them both. But for different reasons. It was too early for Elena to be at war with herself any longer, besides, she had more pressing issues.<br>Elena forced her eyes open. Sure enough, there he was, breathing steadily, eyes closed. She lifted one hand to stroke his cheek, and his eyes fluttered open. He looked startled, and at first-before realizing who it was-mad. But as he saw the familiar eyes of Elena, he sighed and leaned into her touch. But he still seemed. . .not right. Upset, somehow.  
>"What's wrong?" she whispered. He opened his eyes again, his eyes boring into hers.<br>"Mikeal is trying to take you away from me. And I can't do anything, to stop him! Do you know how that feels? How it feels to know that no matter what I do, Mikeal is going to either kill you, or take you away forever? I can't lose you again."  
>"Damon," she sighed, her voice breaking.<br>"No, don't worry. I know you don't care about yourself, just the safety of everyone else, I get it."  
>She whispered his name again when he became distant. Damon sighed and got up out of the bed-Elena mimicked his movements.<br>"I should-I should go." As Elena whispered his name again, he vanished, pain evident on his face.  
>If only Damon understood!<br>She loved Damon, she loved her family-Ric included-she loved her friends, and they loved her, despite the hell she caused all of them. She was the main problem, if she handed herself over, stopped fighting, everybody could live at ease and _hopefully _grieve for a short time about her death. But no, that wouldn't happen. Because her friends, her family, all loved her too much to just. . .let her go.  
>Damon loved her too much. Hell, she was his world. If Elena hadn't come around, Damon would probably be a pile of miserable ashes. Elena never really understood <em>why<em> he loved her, but somehow, he did. And he waited for her, waited for her to except, except that she loved him, _too._  
>And now, she was being taken away. Probably going to be killed, just as everything seemed to be getting somewhat normal and happy in Mystic Falls. But that would never be possible. Nothing would ever be okay and happy in a town where vampires, witches, werewolves, the occasional hybrid, and doppelgangers lived.<br>Elena let her mind wander, not realizing, the danger was closer than anyone knew.

Night time. Such a mysterious thing. Darkness surrounds everything, clouds cover the stars that yearn to shine just a little light down on the dark world. Vampires roam around, the darkness concealing them.  
>Mikeal strolled through the empty streets of a town he did not remember the name of. Something Falls. He walked around, until he came to his destination. A two story house, holding the one thing that brought him here.<br>One girl. And he was determined to find her. Mikeal walked up to the porch, which was empty except for some lawn chairs. He approached the door, twisting his wrist in a circle before knocking three times on the door. He heard soft footfalls down the stairs, and then a hand reaching out to turn the handle.  
>The door swung open and he smiled hugely. "Hello, could you invite me in, dear?" he asked the familiar face.<br>"Mikeal," the girl whispered-she obviously knew who he was. Mikeal smiled sideways at her, and attempted to compel her.  
>"Please, invite me in."<br>"I'm on vervain."  
>"You still should invite me in, darling."<br>"What do you want with me?"  
>"Well, I want to hide you from Niklaus so he can't make anymore hybrids and grow stronger-I've heard the whole story about you dying, coming back, don't ask, news travels. And I will try my very best not to kill you along the way, because I do not feed on the living. Your doppelganger would tell you that, except, well, I killed her."<br>Elena just let a shocked expression cross her face, but didn't say anything. "Fine. I'll go with you, you'll kill Klaus, you'll bring me back here." Mikeal just smiled.  
>"I'm surprised you agreed so easily."<br>"Under one condition."  
>"Of course there would be a condition, wouldn't there?"<br>"My. . .friend can come along. He's a vampire. He will die to protect me, so basically, it's just more protection."  
>Mikeal rolled his eyes, but held out his hand. "I'll see what I can do," he said wickedly. "Now take me to your 'friend'." Elena didn't take his hand, she just grabbed her jacket and walked out into the night, knowing that he'd follow her.<p>

Damon had been drowning himself in bourbon, debating whether or not to show up unexpectedly at Elena's house and beg her to let him put her in his car and just drive. That's when he heard the door open. Elena walked through, with someone on her trails. Damon blurred over in front of her to make sure the guy didn't have her under compulsion or something. "I come in peace," Mikeal mocked.  
>"Damon," Elena murmured, her voice shaking. "This is Mikeal."<br>Damon stared at him even closer. "Let me guess, you've made some deal with him to sacrifice yourself and leave me here, all alone."  
>"Actually, we are here to pick you up." Mikeal smirked. "I promise, I won't kill you."<br>"What?" Elena told him the plan, and Damon just smirked the whole way through it. As his face lost all traces of anger and pain, he smiled slightly. "So, when are we going?" Elena smiled and took his hand in hers, glad that he excepted this offer.  
>"As soon as the two of you can pack and I can acquire a vehicle. I'll be back later. I trust that you'll be here." Mikeal disappeared from the room. Damon just had a big smile plastered on his face. Suddenly, Damon spun around and wrapped his arms tightly around the girl behind him. He kissed the length of her jaw, holding her to him. "Thank God," he murmured in her ear. "I love you!" Elena laughed into his ear, wrapping her arms around his neck. Damon picked her up and spun her around. Then he picked her up bridal style, and looked into her eyes.<br>Elena pulled the two of them together. As their tongues collided with each others, Elena pulled him impossibly closer. As they pulled apart, Elena whispered against his lips, "I love you, too." He smiled and collapsed on the couch, her still in his arms. She curled up against his chest, sighing in contentment.

The two packed, and waited for Mikeal to return. When he finally did, they all piled into a small Honda Civic, Elena and Damon in the back, Mikeal in the front. "Believe it or not," he murmured. "I know how to drive a stick-shift." Elena laughed and wrapped her arms around Damon. They met each other's eyes but were interrupted by a, "You should get some rest, Elena. Running takes a lot out of you." Elena had considered her family, but she knew they were safe. Caroline and Tyler were there, Alaric, with his vampire hunting skills, and Bonnie, with her powers. If Klaus-which she seriously doubted, because he was going to be so terrified of Mikeal he wouldn't dare make it more obvious where he was-was to return with vengeance, everyone could protect themselves.  
>Mikeal pulled over at about three o-clock at a motel. Damon swung Elena in his arms and laid her down on a bed, laying next to her and pulling the covers around them. Mikeal took a different room, giving the two some privacy. "Where are we?" Elena murmured against Damon's chest.<br>"In a motel." Elena sighed.  
>"Mikeal needed a rest stop?" Damon laughed, and kissed the top of her head.<p>

The next morning, Damon went to the local hospital, compelling the workers and taking a few blood bags. As soon as he left hearing range, a light tapping came from the door of Elena's room. She hurried from the bathroom to open it, not surprised when Mikeal was standing on the other side. He whisked past her.  
>"Hey, what time are we leaving?"<br>"I'm not sure, Elena."  
>"Okay," she whispered, still a little afraid of the man. She wished Damon was still here.<br>"You know, I've heard your blood is the sweetest in the whole world. It would send a vampire reeling." Elena froze and stared at the man who's gaze was fixed on the floor.  
>"What?"<br>"I'm sure just a tiny taste wouldn't hurt anybody." Elena's survival instincts kicked in. She was suddenly too aware of her pulse thudding in her ears, of her shallow breathing. "Of course it wouldn't hurt anyone, except you."  
>Elena ran to the door, but Mikeal beat her there. "I haven't had human blood in years. I'm sure just a taste, of a special kind of blood, wouldn't do anything," he reasoned with himself. Elena's pleads filled the room, pleads to stop, pleads for Damon, pleads for anything but this to be happening. "SHUT UP!" Mikeal shouted, blurring over to her shaking body. "You've earned this," he murmured, tearing into her neck.<br>Elena's scream seemed to fill the world.

As Damon made his way quickly back to the motel, he heard a terrifying, gruesome, painful, familiar scream. "ELENA!" he shouted.

_** Cliffhanger! AHH. Now you're mad at me because I've done that. I've made a cliffhanger. Guess you're just going to have to keep reading! Please R&R! :)**_


End file.
